USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1936 > Part 33
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Because of the many children who need special help, it is impossible for the helping-teacher to take them alone for this work, but the individual differences are carefully considered by her in each small group.
The first thing we try to do after we have made our
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diagnosis is to make a record of these difficulties in read- ing so there will be a specific direction in which to work.
Physical check-ups are our next procedure, thus calling into extra use the professional advise of the School Physi- cian and School Nurse. Whenever it is found necessary, notice is sent home for consultation with the family physi- cian or occulist.
Our work begins then at the vocabulary level and whenever possible with the interest level of the child, trying to do the work individually or in small groups.
Many devices are brought into use covering three phases of the development ;- namely, word recognition, word analysis and comprehension. The devices vary in degrees of difficulty, going from the very simple to the more comprehensive instruction.
Carefully planned tests and devices are made by the helping teacher to keep a constant check on the child's work. At frequent intervals standardized tests are given the children to show us how they are progressing in re- lation to the type of work being taught.
One thing we try to have the child, as well as the par- ent, understand is that there is no such thing as "failure" and if time enough is allowed, every child will show de- cided improvement in the field of reading and thus an improvement in his other work.
Respectfully submitted,
COBURN W. TRIPP, Principal, Hedge and Mount Pleasant Schools.
HELEN M. RIESE, Principal, Cornish and Burton District.
WILLIAM I. WHITNEY, Principal, Knapp School.
ELOUISE E. ELLIS, Principal, Manomet School.
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INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL
The Individual School is striving to develop good, loyal, patriotic citizens. It is endeavoring to build up a civic consciousness, in an understanding of ideals on which a successful democracy must be based, in the feelings of respect for law and order and the rights and prerogatives of other people, in the appreciation of their duties to others and to themselves as self-respecting individuals, in the ideals of personal honor. The school is not only attempting to develop proper ideals, sentiments and modes of response with respect to the social and civic relations of life, but it is trying to develop habits of in- dustry, good craftsmanship, thrift, a desire to be helpful and to render reliable service to all.
The school also is trying to help the pupils to become maximally self-supporting, or as slight a burden to soci- ety as possible. The dominant emphasis is placed on the practical, utilitarian, or vocational rather than on the cultural or academic subjects. One way in which train- ing for life may be given in a very practical way is to have the pupils do things which have a direct value at the time. The following things are being done by us at the present time; mending wearing apparel, repairing and painting furniture, making of towels, preparing and serving daily lunches, washing dishes, cabinets, towels, taking turns at laundering and scrubbing, woodworking, weaving, basketry, and various other tasks along the same line.
This year an attempt is being made to thoroughly ac- quaint the older boys and girls of the classes with var- ious vocations in which they may be well fitted. It is the hope that the school will be able to place some of the pupils under the supervision of reliable persons in var- ious occupations, in order that they may be well informed
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and ready to take their place in the community and be worthy citizens.
At the present time, the teachers of the school are definitely attempting to teach every child to read. As much of our daily life depends upon reading, it is the aim of the teachers of the school to teach the pupils and ac- quaint them with the tools of reading so that their de- pendence upon others will be limited.
Through the cooperation of the Woodworking and Physical Education Departments, the school has been able to send the older boys over to the High School for in- struction, which has greatly aided in their training of co-ordination and given them a social aspect heretofore unknown.
In closing the personnel of the Individual School wish- es to thank all agencies and individuals who have con- tributed to the school, which contributions have aided . greatly in the work that is being done.
Respectfully yours,
J. LEO ASH, Principal.
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POTTERY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
The Plymouth Pottery Vocational School is engaged in its third year of activity with seven active new pupils and ten previous class members doing advanced work in glaze experimentation as the result of the in- structor's experience gained at Alfred University this past summer.
This original group organized as the Plymouth Potter's Guild has had a successful year of sales in their shop in the old Sparrow House and have given public demonstra- tions at the Jordan Hardware Store, The Duxbury Ter- centenary, The Eastern States Exposition at Spring- field, The Brockton Fair, The New Bedford Y. W. C. A. and for the Boston Art Teachers' Association. Also there is a current exhibition in Washington at the new De- partment of Interior Building. They are enthusiastically working ahead to a better year in 1938.
Respectfully submitted,
KATHARINE L. ALDEN, Instructor.
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SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS
A. Music
Dr. Howard C. Davis makes the following report of the activities of the music department :
Quoting from the report of 1935, as follows: "Quite aside from the broad cultural purposes, however, it also aims to be of high academic value in training the mind to make independent excursions into musical expression ; in short, to develop power," it may be said that very definite signs of a realization of this aim are to be noted in the elementary schools. The children are encouraged to approach music "on their own" with a consequent lessening of emphasis on teaching and more upon learn- ing. Much of the responsibility for success is placed upon the pupils themselves under the watchful guidance of the teacher. A very definite increase in facility has become apparent with an accompanying increase in the amount of material studied. Definite and daily voice drill em- phasize the esthetic side of the work and form an excel- lent foundation for subsequent formal vocal study in later years.
The supervision of the vocal work in the first six grades continues in charge of the assistant supervisor. This together with frequent demonstrations and teach- ers meeting conducted by the director have hastened the development of better singing. The experimental work with rhythm orchestras has been continued in grades one and two. Glee Clubs in the larger schools are under the direction of the assistant superivsor.
Two district rehearsals are held for the elementary school orchestra each week; one alternating between the Cornish and Mt. Pleasant schools on Thursday mornings, and one alternating between the Knapp and Hedge
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schools on Friday mornings. Once a month the entire orchestra is brought together for a joint rehearsal. The interest in this activity is sufficient for the pupils to be willing to come for an eight o'clock rehearsal. By- products of this interest are manifested in smaller en- sembles such as brass and woodwind quartets. Promo- tion to the junior high school has temporarily reduced the personnel somewhat. A noticeable reduction in in- terest for the string instruments has become apparent, but this is common to the entire country. Small be- ginnings in an elementary school band are contemplated for the spring.
The class vocal work in the junior high school con- tinues under the instruction of the writer. In addition to the vocal work beginnings have been made in a course of music understanding using contemporary musical per- formance on the radio and moving pictures as a basis for development of a discrimination in musical choice. Once each week the entire school comes together for a period of choral singing the basic philosophy of which is relaxation, musical enjoyment and increased acquaint- ance with musical literature. Glee clubs for the seventh and eight grades are under the direction of Miss Beatrice Hunt; the ninth under the writer. The junior high school orchestra gained a considerable number of excellent play- ers by promotion and will present a program later in the spring. Continued voluntary interest in smaller en- sembles such as a string quintet and brass quartet are noted with pleasure. These groups meet after school hours. A selected group of children recently gave two performances of a Christmas cantata for the benefit of the school library fund under the direction of Miss Hunt. Parts of this were later broadcast from a Boston station.
The time devoted to music in the High school has been increased to two periods a week for each of band, or- chestra and glee clubs, thus placing music on a firmer curriculum basis. Credit is given on the basis of a pre- pared subject. The boys' glee club of 32 members has
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been combined with the girls' glee club of 44 members to form an a cappella choir. Through the generosity of the Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway Company, which donated bus service they were able to visit hospitals, shut-ins, and the like, and sing Christmas carols this year. Plans are being completed to provide them with robes for public appearance. This is in line with what is being done in representative high schools and forms an excellent preparation for participation in the choirs of their respective churches. A significant gesture of en- couragement and approval was made by the Plymouth Men's Glee Club when they "adopted" the boys' glee club as a junior men's glee club. Plans are being made for a joint rehearsal with the boys' glee club as hosts. The orchestra shows continued progress and increase in both technical facility and esthetic sense. Losses in num- ber by graduation have not as yet been fully made up by accessions from the junior high school such as will take place next year. The orchestra is planning a joint concert with the orchestras of the Kingston and Dux- bury high schools. It has played for the Woman's Club and at various school programs and school assemblies during the year.
One of the unfortunate results of music education in public schools is the fact that, all too often, the musical experience afforded pupils is their last contact with en- semble singing and playing. With the possible excep- tion of these who go on to a professional career musical activity is likely to cease with the graduation from high school. As a beginning in remedying this condition in Plymouth an orchestra composed of alumni of the high school was asked to play for the graduation exercises. Professional and amateur players from classes as many as forty years ago were gathered and played with con- spicuous success. A contributary advantage to this plan was that it allowed seniors who are members of the orchestra to march and sit with their classmates dur- ing the exercises. It is hoped the idea may be continued
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and contribute to the interest of the alumni in the high school both musically and otherwise.
The wisdom of combining band members from the junior and senior high schools into an All-High School Band is increasingly apparent. While the difficulties in arranging rehearsals at times when pupils of both schools may participate is considerable the resultant artistic excellence is greatly increased. The younger pupils are helped and stimulated by the older pupils' greater playing ability and the playing strength of the band is kept at concert proportions. The band has played at public functions such as the Memorial Day exercises, the county convention of the Girls' Scouts of America, high school football games as well as at school assem- blies. An outdoor concert was given at North Plymouth playground while a similar concert scheduled for the Training Green, had to be cancelled on account. of rain. Owing to the fact that some boys have to work on Sat- urdays and after school, it has been difficult to accept some invitations to play because of incomplete instru- mentation. The need of new uniforms has become im- perative because of wear, increased personnel, and the additional fact that the present uniform is not warm enough for outdoor wear except in the fall and spring. Considerable improvement in the status of the band from the pupils' standpoint has been obtained by doubling the rehearsal time and giving credit for the work in high school. A further measure of pupil responsibility for the band's success has resulted from the appointment of a student leader who will officiate at concerts under the guidance of the writer.
A pressing need for the more unusual instruments still exists. At present the band could not enter a com- petition, but would be disqualified for incomplete in- strumentation despite the fact that they play better than some bands with better instrumentation. During the year we have been able to procure a few of the less expensive instruments by using the small fund result-
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ing from our music festival of last spring. Mainten- ance and repair of instruments now owned and the need for additional equipment such as music stands, music, etc., presents a problem increasingly difficult to meet.
With the cooperation of a music council composed of principals and a teacher interested in music from each building a four-day music festival was presented during National Music Week, May 4, 5, 6, and 7. Five per- formances were given as follows :
May 4, 3:00 P. M. Elementary Schools. All High School Band. 7:15 P. M. All High School Band. May 5, 3:00 P. M. Instrumental Class tion. Demonstra- May 6, 7:15 P. M. Junior High School. May 7, 8:00 P. M. High School.
On the following day, May 8, the junior and senior high school groups acted as hosts to the Mayflower Music Festival comprising groups from the entire county. These concerts demonstrated the work from the rhythm orchestras of the first grade to the more advanced work of the high school.
B. Drawing
Miss Virginia Dowling, Supervisor of Drawing in the Junior and Senior High Schools reports :
It is gratifying to me to be able to see this year, the marked improvement in work in the drawing depart- ment. This is due, no doubt, to the improved working conditions and longer class time. Enrollment in the High School has nearly doubled in the past year and all of these pupils are receiving the course regularly five times a week instead of once or twice as in former years.
The students who elect drawing in the High School are usually those who show definite talent. The course is planned covering simple methods of technique in med-
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iums generally used. These points are brought out through poster work and sketching. Much stress is placed on original work rather than pictures copied from magazines. A pupil who is able to create his own com- positions is the one who, in later years will go much farther than the one who is always dependent on pictures to copy.
A new plan has been followed in the seventh and eighth grades this year with a marked improvement in re- sults. Each class is divided according to ability. Pupils showing talent have been placed in an advanced class and problems requiring actual drawing ability are work- ed out. In this way I hope to give the talented pupil a better background before entering High School. Those pupils who do not have the ability to draw are given simpler problems where the appreciation side is stressed. In this way one child does not hold another back and those with little or no talent do not become so easily dis- couraged. Throughout the year progress is carefully watched so that the pupil is shifted back and forth if necessary.
This year it is possible for ninth grade pupils to elect drawing one period a week. Particular emphasis is placed on lettering, color harmony, and poster work.
Craft work is carried on much as in the past year. Classes are open to pupils in the ninth grade and High School. The work is entirely individual, each student choosing his own problem. Leather and metal work seem to be of greatest interest.
Miss Hazel Bates, Supervisor of Drawing in Elemen- tary Grades reports as follows :
In reviewing the work of the elementary grades dur- ing the past year, I wish to call to your attention the following facts which have greatly influenced the re- sults :
I. One hour of work a week and often less, precludes
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habit formation. Effective habits of work can only be formed by frequent and repeated application. The majority of towns of the size of Plymouth allot more time for art work. The state outline rec- ommends much more time.
II. The joy of experimentation and the self confidence it inspires is lost to both pupils and teachers when the end and aim of their work is exhibiting. To exhibit work accomplished, encourages and in- spires children; but to sacrifice too much, joyous, spontaneous expression for the sake of having fin- ished, polished work for exhibition is not desirable. Experimenting with materials not only gives a child confidence when he succeeds but teaches him his own limitations. He learns to face failure and build anew using the experience as a stepping stone to better work.
The outstanding work of the year was carried on by the students of grade six at the Hedge School under the direction of Miss Florence Corey. This work was not the creation of a single mind dictated to children to be fol- lowed, but the result of original ideas from many chil- dren skillfully guided toward a definite goal. Teacher, children and parents worked together. During the mak- ing of the hand puppets, construction of the theatre and performance of the play, the children not only learned to apply the rules of color harmony, figure drawing, balance in design and neatness of work but learned to work har- moniously in groups, to put the good of the whole above their own desires, to use self control and to realize the immense satisfaction which comes from work well done. The climax of the work, the Punch and Judy show, given last June deserves the praise it received from those attending it. This work was a splendid illustration of Professor Cizek's belief that "The joy which comes with the creating of forms is more important than the mere mastery of technique. This pleasure which is derived
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through creative expression adds to the happiness of life."
C. Physical Education
Mr. Henry T. Knowlton, Physical Director for the Boys in the Junior and Senior High School reports as follows :
Junior High School
During the fall term the physical education depart- ment plans the program for out-of-doors work. This out- side program includes instruction in the rules and fun- damentals of football and touch-football. From time to time skill tests are given in conjunction with the in- struction periods. Kicking and passing contests are held and these add to the interest of the classes. Touch-foot- ball games are also played in class work.
The fall "after school" or intra-mural program is in the form of touch-football leagues. There is a league in each of the Junior High classes. This past fall there were eight teams in each league with over one. hundred and forty boys competing.
The indoor or winter program is mainly work in group games and contests. However, instruction is given in boxing, tumbling, wrestling, apparatus work (for all but the seventh grade groups), and in the rules and funda- mentals of the indoor games.
This winter we are giving a physical fitness test and also a skill test to all the boys of the Junior-Senior High High schools. These tests are given to determine the needs of the various class members. These needs will be concentrated on in future class work. The physical test is as follows: For speed and agility the events of potato race, rope climb and center tap jump are given. For strength the events of pull ups, push ups, thigh flex, knee bends, rope climb, head stand, hand stand, and broad pump are given. The skill test is made up of the
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following events: basketball obstacle dribble, basketball free throw, baseball throw for accuracy, basketball throw for distance, and basket shooting.
Intra-mural basketball and volley ball leagues are run off during the afternoon program.
The spring program includes instruction in baseball, tennis, track, horseshoes, and golf. Included in the baseball instruction are the fundamentals of batting, fielding, throwing, sliding, pitching, and base running. In track, running, starting, broad and high jumping, and shot putting are covered during the class periods. Tennis and golf are covered as thoroughly as the equipment will permit. Last spring the town courts were not put in condition until school was almost out for the summer va- cation. Until we get some courts of our own, the instruc- tion must of necessity be limited.
Intra-mural leagues in baseball are the after school diversions in the spring.
We hope to run horseshoe tournaments and tennis ladders this coming spring if the courts are in condi- tion.
Senior High School
A more complete and advanced program is given to the High School boys, but in the main it is similar to that given to the Junior High groups.
Intra-mural programs are run in all but the fall sea- son.
The school sponsors the following varsity sports : foot- ball, basketball, baseball and track. These sports are very well patronized. Football carries about sixty boys, basketball about twenty-five on the varsity squad and about one hundred twenty on intra-mural. Baseball takes care of about one hundred boys and track interests about forty or fifty.
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General
Individual and group work in posture is carried on throughout the yearly program. A series of lectures and demonstrations on first aid to the injured and in life saving also is given. The corrective work is done mainly through the individual conference method in conjunction with the medical department.
Lectures on personal hygiene and care are given from time to time throughout the year.
Regular foot and gym suit inspection is carried on also.
We hope in the near future that we may have our own athletic field and tennis courts and that our Junior High playground may be put in usable condition.
Mrs. Beatrice E. Garvin, Supervisor of Physical Edu- cation in the Elementary Grades and Senior High School girls reports as follows :
The physical education program for Senior High girls has begun to show signs of growth, inasmuch as each new experience for the individual has meaning in terms of past experiences. In order to set up a background, the first year of work provided a wide variety of activi- ties ; this year emphasis has been placed on the stimula- tion of interest and development of skills in highly or- ganized team games. As an experiment which appears successful, those girls who join the afternoon seasonal sport group are allowed the privilege of not reporting with the weekly class, except during periods when games or skills are taught which they need for participation on intra-mural teams. The resulting smaller classes have been able to play hockey, soccer, volley-ball and baseball outdoors during the fall months and already a number of girls are interested in joining the afternoon group an- other year. All gymnasium work is taught in squads with pupil leaders in charge, in a belief that the teach- er should serve as adviser and leader with pupils prac- ticing activities in an informal way with help for indiv-
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iduals or groups as difficulties arise. Since recreational activities provide one of the best means for developing and maintaining healthy and happy personalities and teaching methods should develop intelligent self-direction and self-control, that is the keynote of the present class program.
The sports program is making real progress. Over fifty girls played hockey, with four teams competing in an intra-mural tournament. The first and second school teams played thirteen competitive games, only after the larger number of girls had participated. The basketball group numbers over seventy, all girls playing on the intra-mural teams during December, followed by a class team tournament. A varsity squad will play only six games while the other girls continue intra-mural compe- tition. This still allows recognition of the superior group without eliminating an elective sport for all interested girls. Spring activities do not seem to quite solve the in- terest problem yet-neither baseball nor track being en- tirely satisfactory-and it is hoped that badminton, ten- nis and other smaller group activities may be added and inter-school competition eliminated during this season.
The elementary grade program continues to emphasize rhythmics, group games, relays, stunts, contests, skills of team games, athletic events. The children have so long acted under team organization that it functions in a manner that allows the maximum results from the short- ened instructional period of the supervisor. Since the physical education teacher has the responsibility of mak- ing some contribution toward improving the posture of the pupils, those children who are poorest in body mechanics are kept in mind for individual encourage- ment. The value of an erect well poised position of the body must be associated with the interesting things that boys and girls like to do.
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